Railroad car truck



Oct. 3, 1933.

J.J.TATUM RAILROAD CAR TRUCK Filed Deo. 3. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 3., 1933. J, J, TA1-UM RAILROAD CAR TRUCK Filed DGO. 3. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 dbtoamq oct. 3, 1933. J J TATUM 17,9282740 RAILROAD CAR TRUCK Filed Dec. 3. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheety 3 oct. 3, I1933.. JQ J, TTUM 1,928,740

RAILROAD CAR TRUCK Filed Dec. 5. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 3, 1933 J. J. TATUM RAILROAD CAR TRUCK Filed Dec. 5. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ano: nu

Patented Oct. 3, 1933 y RAILROAD CAR TRUCK John J. Tatum, Baltimore, Md.

Application December 3, 1929. Serial No. 411,337

l13 Claims.

The cars now commonly used are all metal throughout, are more rigid than the formerly used wooden cars, which necessitates easy cushioning to provide softer and more comfortable riding.

These al1-steel cars carry the metallic sound of the wheels and rail up into the car, which is annoying and obnoxious to the passengers, and it has come to the attention of the railroads that some passengers have been unable to continue l their trip from origin to destination because of the annoying sound caused by all-metal cars, and the rumbling of the Wheels and rails. i The object of my invention is to provide a cushion, shock and sound absorber to eliminate this condition by introducing cushions at certain points in the truck structure which in addition to'cushioning, absorbs the shock and sound from wheels rolling over the track joints, switches, and crossings; and with this and other objects in View, my invention consists of the parts and combination of parts hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car truck embodying my invention, part of the truck being in section.

Figure 2 is a detail view, partly in section, showing the cushion body and truck center plates.

Figure 3 is a vertical central sectional view of the journal box embodying my invention with equalizer being shown in position.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the journal box and one end of the equalizer, parts being in section.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are respectively side eleva-A tion, top plan and end Views of sides of the cushion seal von the journal box.

Figure 8 is a detail side elevation of one end of the equalizer.

Figure 9 is a sectional view on the line 9 9, Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a top plan View of a journal box cushion.

Figure 11 is a sideelevation of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a top plan View of the center plate cushion.

Figure 13 is a detail sectional View of the up.- per part of the journal box with integrally cast cushion seat.

Figure 14 is a detail vertical sectional View of a journal box with rubber and helical spring cushion between the box and equalizer.

Figure 15 `is a view similar to Figure 14 showing a rubber and helical spring cushion between the journal box and the truck frame.

In Figure 1 I have shown in the assembled truck (Cl. 105-.-452) x my cushion in pockets to receive it under the center plates, the truck center carrying member, the truck cross bolster under the bearing portion of the truck center member, the centerplates and between the journal box and the equalizer foot.

- The reference numeral 14 designates the wheels of the truck 15, said truck being provided with journal boxes 16 from and above the level of the top of which project vertical side and end walls 17 and 17', respectively which form a cushion seat on top of the box into which a cushion 18 is seated, the side walls holding the cushion in position. As shown, the top of the cushion projects above the level of the top of the recess and above the level of the walls 17', but the walls 17 project upward to a higher level to form guards which are provided with ribs 19 extending inwardly from the inner face of the walls. 'Ihe cushions 18, made of cushioning bodies of rubber or any suitable equivalent cushioning material, is provided on its upper face with a rib 20 extending transversely of the seat. The equalizer 21, at one end, is provided with a foot 22 in opposite side walls of which are grooves 23, which are intersected at their lower ends by a groove 24 extending transversely of and in the bottom face of the equalizer foot 22, as more clearly shown in Figure 8. When in assembled position the equalizer foot projects over walls 17 between walls 17 85 and rests upon the cushion 18 on the journal box with the rib 20 seated in the groove 24 of the equalizer, while the ribs 19 of the seat are positioned in the grooves 24 of the foot 22 of the equalizer whereby these parts are held in assembled position. The cushion 18 is provided with side grooves 25 designed to receive the ribs 19 of the cushion seat whereby the cushion is held from possibility of outward or lateral displacement, and whereby the cushion is held confined when compressed by the equalizer.

I have'shwn in Figure 13 the cushion seat cast integrally with the journal box, while in Figures 3, 4, I have shown the side walls (see Figures 5, 6, 7) as electrically welded (26) to an old standard 100 journal box, from which it will be seen that my invention may be utilized in connection with old standard journal boxes and embodied in new boxes.

As shown in Figure 1, I place a cushion 27 be- 105 tween the end of the center bolster 28 and the truck cross bolster 29.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the reference numeral 30 designates the car body provided with a body center pme 31 having a pocket 32 formed 110 therein which is adapted to receive the center plate 33 resting on the cushion 34 which is protected by a washer plate 35. The truck center plate 36 is of usual construction. The truck center plate pocket 37 is provided with a cushion member 38 above which is positioned a metallic washer plate 39.

From the above it will be seen that I provide cushions at the center plates, truck center carrying member, truck cross bolster under the bearing portion of the truck center member and between the journal box and equalizer, which absorb the shock from the wheels rolling over track joints, switches, and crossing, and prevents noises incident to a car truck from annoying passengers in the car.

These cushions as shown are arranged at different levels or zones for variable conjoint and sequential sound deadening and shock absorbing actions, upwardly and downwardly, between the rails and car body. In the particular structure disclosed, for purpose of exempliication, rubber cushions are disposed at the tops of the journal boxes. Should' the sound vibrations and shocks pass this level, zone or point of suspension they will be dampened by the cushions between the vtops of the journal boxes and the ends of the equalizer bars. Should the sound vibrations and shocks pass this point or zone they will be dampened by the rubber cushions at points A between the ends of the members of the equalizer springs. Shocks and sound vibrations passing this point or zone will in turn be dampened by the rubber cushions between the truck bolster and the ends of the center bolster, and similarly shocks and sound vibrations passing beyond these points or zones to higher levels or zones will be dampened by the rubber cushion between the center bolster and lower center plate and by the rubber cushion between the upper center plate and the car body. By the use of cushioning bodies of rubber of suitable capacity the high frequency vibrations passing from the tracks to the trucks and from point to point or from level to level, or one horizontal zone to another or others, on the trucks to the body will not only be dampened and largely if not entirely suppressed, but all shocks from whatever cause ordinarily transmitted with a large degree of fullness from part to part of the trucks and to the body may be similarlydampened and suppressed to such a degree that the rubber cushion bodies and usual springs will coact to give-a high- 1y effective, soft, velvety cushioning action to obtain what I call balloon riding. It will be evident that, according to the force ofthe shock, two or more cushion bodies at the same or different levels may coordinately coact to suppress all or a portion of the shock and if the shock should pass through them and beyond their level or levels other cushions at higher or lower levels, according to the source of origin of the shock, i. e., coming from the rails upward or body downward, will coact with each other and with the cushions acting before them to dampen or suppress the shock and attendant sound vibrations. By, therefore, suitably proportioning and Calibrating rubber cushions of proper frequency and load sustaining capacity so as to regulate their individual damping actions according to their points of application and zones and their joint damping values according to points of application and joint damping requirements of adjacent zones, I am enabled to secure absorption of small sound vibrations or shocks at or in the region or zone of the source by the individual or cooperative actions of the cushions in that zone alone or in association with cushions in adjacent zones, and the heaviest shocks and loudest noises may be wholly or largely suppressed by sequential actions of cushions at two or more adjacent andsuccessive levels or zones to prevent or reduce to the minimum degree the transmission of the shock or noise to the car body. Thus any noise or shook starting at the rail or a low zone on the truck will be eliminated or materially reduced by successive cushioning actions of the cushioning bodies up to the level or zone of the center bearing and in the vast majority of cases the cushions associated with the center bearing will act as ironing out cushions to absorb the residual shocks or noises not wholly or substantially absorbed by the cushions in the zones below. I have found most eiicient a high capacity rubber which has been developed for the purpose, such rubber being quite dense, highly resilient, and having a capacity of 360 lbs. at a compression of le of an inch.

I have shown the rubber cushions arranged at a number of points and at'levels or zones suf'- cient to give an eicient sound deadening and shock absorbing action so that softer and quieter riding will be obtained than has been heretofore possible. I may. however, place cushions between the contact surfaces of other relatively movable parts of the truck to increase the sequential dampening actions to any degree desired. 105 It is important in all cases, however, to employ an effective rubber-cushion sound and shock proof barrier at the crossing point between truck and body, namely, at the center bearing zone, for cooperation with the cushions in the lower zones, 110 in order that the shocks and travel noises may be confined as fully as possible to the truck and prevented from passing upward to the body, and which will perform the dual function of absorbing all noises and shocks originating at this point 115 while at the same time absorbing and obstructing the passage of all residual noises and shocks not fully absorbed by the cushions in the zone below. In order to desirably meet these conditions I preferably provide at the center bearing 120 zone a compound or duplex cushion consisting of the lower cushion body 38 disposed between the lower center plate and the bottom of its pocket on the center bolster and of the upper cushion body 34 disposed between the upper center plate 125 and the top of its pocket on the body or body bolster. By this arrangement of the two cushion bodies each Will absorb the noises and shocks originating in its zone, and the two will cooperate to jointly absorb all noises or shocks passing 1 from the body downward, which would otherwise be transmitted to and amplified by the truck parts, or to prevent the passage to the body from the truck of noises and shocks originating at any zone level on the truck or in the center bearing, including those residual noises and shocks which may escape the truck cushions and which would otherwise pass upward to the body. I also consider it desirable, as shown, to support the lower center plate so that it projects above its pocket and to provide it with a guide recess to loosely receive a depending guide projection on the upper center plate, which extends below its pocket, and toY spatially arrange the pockets and loosely connect the center bearing parts by the king pin in such manner as to allow the center bearing plates to have a limited relative amount of vertical, lateral and rocking, as well as pivotal motion, to better cushion the parts to absorb the noises and shocks arising from straight vertical 150 and horizontal and rocking or swaying motions in the travel of the car. By this means, also, the center bearing plates are allowed to have a limited floating action to adapt them to complementarily absorb vibrations each from the other without preventing individual vibration thereof to absorb noises or shocks at the same or diierent frequencies.

The new principle of sound deadening and shock absorbing actions secured by my invention and as above set forth is based upon the fact that sound and shock vibrations are sensations the sensible effects of which are produced through the organs of hearing and feeling; also the physical cause ofthis sensation, to wit, waves of alternate condensation and rarefaction through an elastic body, whether solid, liquid, or gaseous, but' especially through the atmosphere. All harsh, sudden sounds are called noises and are due to irregular or discontinuous vibration. Sounds due to regular vibration, called musical sounds, possess three qualities: (1) intensity, due to the extent of *he vibration; (2) pitch, due to its rapidity; and (3) timbre, or color, due to its form. The vibrations audible to the human ear range from 24 to about 40,000 a second. Sound travels at the rate of 1090 feet a second in air, and Vat widely varying rates in different media.. In hydrogen the rate is 4190 feet; in water 4730 feet; in copper 12,200; in iron 15,700 feet. A rise in temperature, produces an increase of velocity, the increase being about two feet per second for every degree Fahrenheit in the case of air. Sound waves may be reflected, refracted, and diifracted like light waves; they may also interfere. The necessary condition for the production of sound is that the sound-producing body must, by its own vibrations or in some other way, set the air into vibration; as for instance, bells, tuning-forks, violin strings, and drums are familiar instances of vibrating bodies. Cars built of all-metal, their runnnig gear built of all-mtal, the wheels of all metal contacting with metal rails, generate sound and vibrations as they roll over the rail, which sound and vibrations are aggravated and multiplied at the joints of the rail, at the frogs, switches and crossings of the rail. These last-mentioned conditions not only basically cause and aggravate the sound and vibrations but add strains on the various connections of the truck assembly and be-' tween the. same and the car body, whereby the sound and vibrations are still further increased.

Because of these conditions, I begin at the lower stages of generation in the construction of the truck nearest to the rail, and insert rubber between iron or steel bearings of the parts assembled, andcontinue the application in series or stages at the assembling points until the car body is reachedfor the purpose of preventing (a) the aggregation and accumulation of sound produced by the wheels, and (b) tautophonic action, i. e., the repeating of sound at the various points in the assemblage of metal parts.- The interposing of rubber at the junctions of the metal parts prevents the production of sound that would travel through the air at the rate of 1090 feet a second, and through the iron or steel at 15,700 feet a second. The sound from the iron or steel in the rails, wheels, and trucks, is picked up and travels 1090 feet a second through air, where it is distributed at widely varying rates. Therefore, the object of my invention is for the purpose of preventing sound being made and amplified by the trucks or their parts, and to prevent transmission of sound and shock vibrations through the air or through the metallic parts from the sources or zones of origin to the inside of the car, thus preventing the annoying and fatiguing sensations produced by such vibrations upon the passengers.

By the use of rubber cushions of suitable capacity to absorb sound and shock vibrations at the points of origin of the same in the same zone level and at different zone levels between the truck wheels and the car body a coaction between cushions at different levels is secured whereby transmission of sound and shock vibrations from zone to zone by tautophonic action is prevented, thus eliminating or reducing to a minimum degree those repetitions of sound and shock waves which are normally transmitted with annoyance to the organs of hearing and the physical effects causing fatigue and the irritating effects upon the nervous systems of the occupants of the car causing distress in travel. By thus sequentially absorbing the sound and shock vibration waves produced in each zone by the cushions therein and in different zones by the cooperative action of cushions in adjacent zones between the car wheels and the car body sound and shock transmission by tautophonic action is to a very high degree prevented and the sounds and shocks absorbed, so that the restfulness and soothing eects of soft, quiet riding are obtained.

In Figure 14 I show another embodiment of my invention wherein I interpose between the equalizer 21a and the journal box 16a, a rubber 18a and helical spring 18e cushion, that is to say, the rubber and the helical spring constitute the interposed cushion; the spring cap 18b is provided with a rib 18d which rest in the groove 24 of the equalizer.

In Figure 15 the journal box 40 is of the same construction as the boxes 16 and 16a herein referred to. In the seat on top of the box I provide the rubber mat 41 on which is placed a steel plate 42. The helical spring 43 rests on this plate and is provided with a metal cap plate 44 on the upper face of which is secured a rubber cushion mat 45 which functions as a cushion between the top of the spring 43 and the truck frame 46. Plates similar to 42 and 44 are used in the embodiment shown in Figure 14.

The steel plates in these constructions shown in Figures 14 and 15 form abutments having plane surfaces and the faces of the rubber mats which engage these surfaces are corrugated, whereby the cushioning action ofthe mats is increased and the tendency of the rubber to stick to the metallic surfaces is reduced.

Passenger cars now in use equipped with trucksI embodying my invention, have been pronounced by railroad experts as the smoothest and most comfortable cars in use, and that the annoying shocks and sounds incident to other trucks are practically entirely eliminated and absorbed.

The rubber cushions A between the ends of the elliptical springs B are of the general type shown and claimed in my application led April 1, 1929, Serial No. 351,803, and are not therefore claimed per se in this case, but are claimed in the: general combination and relation with the other cushions shown and described herein.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, in a car truck, a journal box, a recess formed on the top of the box, ribs extending into said recess from the side walls thereof, an integral rib on the upper face of said pad, 1

an equalizer, vertically disposed grooves in each side wall of the foot of the equalizer designed to receive said ribs on the side walls of the recess and a groove in the under face of said foot designed to receive the rib of thesaid pad.

2. The combination with an all metallic body and all metallic running gear of a railwfy car embodying trucks each having a swivel center bearing connection with the body, elliptical springs, cross bolsters, said cross bolsters supported by the elliptic springs, a center bolster carrying said center bearing and supported by the cross bolsters, wheel bearing boxes, and spring-cushioned equalizers supported by the bearing boxes, a spring on the equalizer supporting the truck frame of sound deadening and shock absorbing media arranged at diilerent levels on the running gear of the truck for variable conjoint and sequential regional and tautophonic sound deadening and cushioning actions from level to level between the truck wheels and bolster, said media comprising'cushioning rubber bodies disposed between the bearing boxes and the equalizers, between the ends of the upper and lower members of the elliptical springs and between the truck cross bolster and ends of the center bolster, and a sound deadening and shock absorbing cushion of rubber associated with each member of said center bearing and operating to dampen the sounds and shocks originating in the center bearing zone and to absorb and arrest the residual sounds and shocks unabsorbed by the first-named cushions and to obstruct transmission of the same to the car body.

3. In combination, in a car truck, a journal box, an equalizing bar having a bearing foot, a sound deadening and shock absorbing rubber cushion interposed between the top of the journal box and the foot of the equalizer bar, and retaining means on the box holding the cushion, the upper portion of said cushion extending above the plane of said retaining means and having an integral rib formed thereon, and said foot of the equalizer bar having a groove receiving said rib.

4. In combination, in a car truck, a journal box, a seat on the top of said box, a sound deadening and shock absorbing rubber cushion positioned in said seat and provided with grooves, and retaining ribs on the box engaging the grooves.

5. In combination, in a car truck, a journal box having a cushion receiving seat 'at the top thereof, a sound deadening and shock absorbing rubber cushion engaging said seat and projecting therefrom above the level of the side walls of the box, and an equalizer bar extending above the 'box over said walls and interengaged with and bearing on the projecting portion of the cushion. 6. In combination, in a car truck, a journal box having a recess in its top, a resilient rubber pad cushion in said recess, and an equalizer bar having an end portion provided with a bearing surface in engagement with the upper surface of the pad, said'surfaces having a rib and groove connection.

7. In combination, in a car truck, a journal box having a recess formed in its top, a resilient rubber cushion iltted in and extending above said recess, said cushion having an integral rib on its upper face, and an equalizer having a grooved portion receiving said rib.

8. In combination, in a car truck, a journal box having a recess formed in its top, said recess being provided with opposed walls having inwardly extending ribs, a resilient rubber cushion in the recess formed with grooves receiving said ribs, and an equalizer resting on the cushion.

9. In combination, in a car truck, a journal box having a recess in its top, said recess being provided with opposed walls having inwardly extending ribs, a resilient rubber cushion pad in said recess provided with an integral rib on its upper face and having grooves in its sides receiving said wall ribs, and an equalizer provided with a grooved portion receiving the rib of said pad.

10. In combination, in a car truck, a journal box having a recess in its top, an equalizer bar, and a sound deadening and shock absorbing rubber cushion body tted in said recess and projecting therefrom above the top of the journal box, said bar having an engaging surface. resting on the upwardly projecting portion of said cushion body.

11. In combination, in a car truck, a truck frame, a spring supported journal box therein, an equalizer bar having a bearing foot, and a shock and sound absorbing cushioning body of rubber disposed between the journal box and foot of the equalizer bar and in interlocking engagement with the box and the equalizer bar foot.

l2. In combination, inv a car truck, a journal box having a recess in its top, a resilient rubber pad cushion in said recess, and an equalizer bar having an end portion provided with a bearing surface in engagement with the upper surface of the pad, said surfaces having an interengaging connection.

13. In a railway truck, a journal box having a recess in its top provided with relatively short and high end and side walls, a rubber cushion seated in said recess and projecting upward between the side walls to a level above the end walls, and a bearer having a foot extending between said side walls of the recess and over the end walls thereof and the cushion and resting on said cushion.

JOHN J. TATUM. 

